Meet Li-Fi, the internet source that is 100 times faster than Wi-Fi

We’ve all been there: staring at our laptops, anxiously tapping our fingers as we wait for the internet to load. Nevermind that Wi-Fi is a miracle of the modern era– we want our websites to load, now. How else are we going to see our cute kitten gifs for the day?!

Well, meet Li-Fi: the new internet source that’s 100 times faster than Wi-Fi. Li-Fi, or Light Fidelity, boasts connections up to 100 times faster than Wi-Fi. The new alternative technology transmits high-speed data using visible light communication and could reach speeds of 1 Gbps, which is about 100 times faster than a standard Wi-Fi. Which means users could download high-quality movies in seconds. Whoa.

Li-Fi internet is transmitted using LED lights, which flicker on and off so fast that their work is completely imperceptible to the human eye.

Deepak Solani, CEO of the Estonian tech company Velmenni, one of the many companies interested in this new technology, explained to the International Business Times, “We are doing a few pilot projects within different industries where we can utilise the VLC (visible light communication) technology.”

As Li-Fi is based on light, it cannot go through walls and would have a more limited range than Wi-Fi – which also means greater security. However, this means Li-Fi would not completely replace Wi-Fi, but rather run alongside it, creating a more efficient network.

The success of the pilot projects such as Velmenni’s means Li-Fi technology could be available to consumers within the next three to four years, allowing people to access the internet using the light bulbs in their home. Never has changing a light bulb seemed so important!